The Chopin Society UK

About us

The Chopin Society (London) was founded in 1971 by Lucie Swiatek to celebrate the genius of Fryderyk Chopin and increase the knowledge and appreciation of his music.

We present distinguished international artists and outstanding young performers in monthly recitals, which always include works by Chopin and often those of other composers. We also offer occasional talks and lecture-recitals by leading Chopin experts.

The Chopin Society has expanded considerably over the last few years and now has around 300 members. Fortunately it now has a hall large enough to accommodate these numbers as well as the general public, though from time-to-time members only events are held in smaller venues.

Members Matinees are held several times a year where members who can perform have the opportunity to play to an audience in a private house. These have proved to be very popular events.

Nearly all the Society’s concerts are free to members, though a small charge is made for optional refreshments at an informal reception afterwards where people can socialise and meet the artist.

New venues

In 2007 the Society left its home of 33 years, the Polish Institute & Sikorski Museum and has since held concerts in various venues in Central London. Since 2011 the Society has had a new permanent venue in Westminster Cathedral Hall.

Bicentenary celebrations

2010 was Chopin’s bicentenary year and to celebrate this the Chopin Society organised a concert series, In the Footsteps of Chopin, based around places where Chopin stayed or performed during his visit to London in 1848.
See the Anniversaries page for details of our bicentenary celebrations, including the Gala at Lancaster House
and the Grand Concert Dinner and Ball at the Guildhall.

The pianos

Our new Steinway

Our piano is a 2015 Hamburg Steinway Model B, chosen at Steinway's Hamburg factory by President and Artistic Director Lady Rose Cholmondeley with the advice of Steinway's Director of Concert & Artists' Services, Ulrich Gerhartz. It has been specially regulated for our venue, Westminster Cathedral Hall, will continue to be maintained by Steinways, and is tuned immediately before each recital. The piano is the property of the Chopin Society and was bought with the proceeds of a Gala Concert, Dinner & Ball held at London’s Guildhall in December 2014 in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses Princess Alexandra and The Duke of Kent, and the Duke’s son, The Earl of St Andrews.

Chopin's Pleyel

in 2010 the Chopin Society 'adopted' the Chopin Pleyel in the Cobbe Collection. This was the piano Chopin brought to London and had in his Dover Street apartment.It was performed on by Nikolai Demidenko at the Society's gala at Lancaster House on May 15th 2010, celebrating Chopin's bicentenary (see anniversaries).

The Society's 40th anniversary

2011 was the Chopin Society's own 40th anniversary. An anniversary Gala concert with Angela Hewitt was held at Strawberry Hill Twickenham, and a birthday concert at Westminster Cathedral Hall - read about it. The Chopin Society was honoured to have HRH Princess Alexandra as its Royal Patron, and HE Barbara Tuge-Erecińska, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland as its Honorary President during 2010 and 2011.

Fund-raising

Over the past few years the Chopin Society have raised over £100,000 for various charities including Marie Curie Cancer Care, Strawberry Hill, the Cobbe Collection, Prostate UK and the Pelican Cancer Foundation.